James william helps



(No Model.)

J. W. HELPS. DEVICE POR DISJOINTING MAINS.

Patented Feb. 25, 1890.,\\

` UNITED lSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES VILLIAM HELPS, OF OROYDON, COUNTY OF SURREY, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR DISJOINTING MAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,211, dated February25, 1890. Application 'led May 8, 1889. Serial No. 810,001. (No model.)Patented in England August 17, 1888,1T0. 11,914.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES WILLIAM HELPS, a subject of the Queen ofEngland, residing at Croydon, in the county of Surrey, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for DisjointingMains, (for which 1 have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No.11,914., bearing date August 17, 1888;) and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such asV will enablev others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

In an application filed of even date herewith I have described andclaimed a method of disconnecting at the socket and spigot joints thesections of a gas, water, or other fluid-conducting main.

The present application relates to the devices wherebythe separation ofsaid main or pipe sections are effected.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure 1represents in side elevation a trench containing a gas or other mainprovided with my improved devices. Fig. 2 represents in end elevationand on an enlarged scale the clip forming an element of one of thedevices for effecting the separation of the mainor pipe sections; andFig. 3 represents the clip in side elevation, together with a screwforming the other element of said device.

Similar numerals of reference indicate si1ni lar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a trench, Within which isdisposed in the usual manner a gas, Water, or other main made up Y of anumber of sections 2 3 4f, duc., connected by the ordinary separablespigot and socket, joined as indicated. y

In carrying out my invention I first lay bare the main or the portion ofits length which it is desired to remove, and then cut out the portionof said main in the ordinary manner. This being effected, the purpose ofmy invention is to disconnect the several re-s maining sections at thespigot and socket joint, so as to save the trouble, expense, and lossincurred by the method heretofore prac ticed of cutting the main at suchjoint. To this end 1 place across 'the trench a suitable fulcruinabloclr5, and by means of the chain 6 and lever 7 raise the free end of the cutsection of the main sufficiently high to allow of the introduction of astout block 8 beneath the end of the adjoining pipe 2. In case of heavypipes it may be found convenient to raise them into this inclinedposition by blocks and falls. I now clasp or clamp around the end of thepipe 3 the clip illustrated more fully in Figs. 2 and 3. This clipconsists of arms 9 10, preferably of strong wrought-iron or othersuitable material, hinged or otherwise connected, at1l', as shown, andbent into form corresponding` to the outer contour of the main. At theirupper portions the arms 9 10 are provided with prolongations 12 13,having apertures through which pass lugs or pins 14 15, externallyscrew-threaded at their outer ends for the reception of clamping-nuts`16 17, said lugs 14 15 being integral with a block 18, as shown. Theblock 18is internally screwthreaded for the reception of the screw 19,which fits therein. The main being in the inclined positionlillustratedin Fig. 1, the clip is placed upon the end of the section 3, asindicated in the said figure, and by revolving the ends 1G 17'by meansof a suitable wrench the curved arms 9 10 of the clip are caused toclasp tightly the periphery of said pipe end, so as to permit the clipto maintain its fixed position upon the pipe during the subsequentoperation. The free end of the main orpipe section 2 is now raised,thereby raising also the pipe-section 3, whereupon the pipe-sections 2and 3 are allowed to drop suddenly upon block 8. The effect of this jar,which may be repeated once or twice, if necesn sary, will be to loosenthe joint and draw the socket away at the top side. The screw 19 is thenturned by hand until its end abuts against the edge of the socket-rim,as shown in Fig. 3, and the process of lifting and dropping is repeated.This will still further draw the socket end of the pipe 2 from thespigot end of the pipe 3, as the socket-arm will be prevented by thescrew from regaining its original position. The repetition of theoperation of lifting and dropping and tightening up the screw will in ashort time` comn pletely draw the socket' end of the pipe 2 from thespigot end of the pipe 3, thereby disconnecting the joint and enablingthe pipe-secl tion 2 to be lifted from the trench in the orn ICO dinarymanner. The lead packing may thereupon be readily collected andrecovered.

It will be evident that the size of the projections 1l 15 upon the block18 must be so proportioned to the size of the openings in the clip-armprojections 12 13 as to readily pass through the same when the clip hasbeen placed upon or removed from the main.

Instead of the block 1S, a modification may be employed in which one orboth of the arms 1415 may be movable. In such case the arms will beprovided at their outer edge with square or hexagonal heads, and will'bescrew-threaded at their inner, ends, so that they may pass through theholes or apertures in the clip-arm projections 12 13 and enterinternally-screw-tlireaded recesses in the side of the block. ing'thearms or bolts the clip may be made to clasp the pipe or main tightly, asbefore.

Having thus 'described my invention, what I claim is l 1. A device foruse vin disconnecting the joints of mains and pipes, consisting ofhinged clamping-arms 9 10,A adapted to encircle a pipe, means fordrawing together the free ends of said hinged arms, an internallyscrewVith this construction by turnthreaded block, and a screw fitting saidinternal screw-thread, substantially as described.

2. A device `for use in .disconnecting the joints of mains and pipes,consisting of hinged clamping-arms 9 10, adapted to encircle a pipe andhaving projections 12 13, provided with apertures, and block 13,internally screwthreaded and having pins 14 15, screw-threaded at theirouter ends and passing through the apertures in the projections 12 13,clamping-nuts 16 17, and the screw 19, fitting the screw-threadedopening ofthe block 18, substantially as described.

3. The combination ofa support S, adapted to maintain asection of a mainin an inclined position, and clamping-clip encircling said main andprovided with an adjustable screw adapted to abut against the arm of asocketjoint, and a lifting device connected to the free end of apipe-section, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES VILLIAM HELPS.

NVitnesses:

EDMUND S. SNEWIN, W. T. MARSHALL.

